Jushin Thunder Liger

Birth name

Ring names

Height

Weight

Born

November 30, 1964 (1964-11-30) (age 52)

Birth Place

Hiroshima, Japan

Resides

Fukuoka, Japan

Billed from

Tokyo, Japan

Trainer

Kotetsu YamamotoTatsumi FujinamiYoshiaki FujiwaraStu Hart

Debut

March 3, 1984

Keiichi Yamada (born November 30, 1964), better known as Jushin Liger and later Jushin Thunder Liger is a Japanese professional wrestler who primarily works for New Japan Pro Wrestling. He has wrestled and beaten many of the top wrestlers in both Japan and the United States, and is frequently cited as one of the greatest and most revolutionary junior heavyweights of all time.

Professional wrestling career

Training and early career (1984–1986)

All-Star Wrestling (1986–1987, 1989)

Stampede Wrestling (1987, 1989)

New Japan Pro Wrestling (1987–2010)

World Championship Wrestling (1991–1999)

Ring of Honor (2004–2015, 2016)

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (2005–2006)

Consejo Mundial de Lucha Libre (2007–2011, 2013)

North American Independent promotions (2007–present)

WWE (2015, 2017–present)

NXT (2015)

On July 16, 2015, WWE announced that Liger would wrestle a match at the NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn WWE Network special event on August 22, 2015, against Tyler Breeze. According to NJPW, WWE had approached them about bringing Liger in for the event as a special guest. At the event, Liger was victorious over Breeze.

Cruiserweight Division (2017–present)

On the April 17, 2017 episode of Raw it was announced that WWE Cruiserweight ChampionRey Mysterio would defend his title at the One Night Stand pay-per-view against Liger. The following day WWE co-owner James Harrison spoke in an interview with Chris Jericho stating that the original plan was to bring in Liger for a one-off match as the PPV is a joint WWE and NJPW event but he stated Liger had agreed to work several dates for the company, but he also said Liger could work any days he wanted to and their was no restriction on indie work.

In Wrestling

Finishing moves

Brainbuster, sometimes from the top rope

CTB – Crash Thunder Buster (Belly-to-back wheelbarrow facebuster)

Elevated DDT – Late 1980s–early 1990s; used rarely thereafter

Kuchu Dojime Otoshi (Lou Thesz press pin) – 2009–present

Liger Bomb (Standing or a running high-angle sitout powerbomb)

Liger Suplex (Bridging wrist-clutch leg hook belly-to-back suplex)

Shooting star press – Innovated; 1987–1997

Signature moves

Abisegeri (Rolling koppu kick)

Fisherman buster, sometimes from the top rope

Frankensteiner, sometimes from the top rope

Frog splash

Kneeling reverse piledriver

Moonsault

Shotei (Palm thrust)

Surfboard

Nicknames

"Flying"

"Shooting Star"

"Sekai no Shishigami"

"Symbol of Junior"

Managers

Sonny Onoo

Entrance themes

"Ikari no Jushin" by Yumi Hiroki (NJPW; 1989–present)

"Thuhn-Der" by CFO$ (NXT/WWE; August 22, 2015, April 24, 2017–present)